Passed away peacefully at age 88.
I loved watching him and the other Celts growing up. Truly one of the greatest.
OFC
I loved watching him and the other Celts growing up. Truly one of the greatest.
OFC
RIP Bill Russell
- Thread starter Willcampbell
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Without a doubt one of the greatest who ever played. OFC
Taking San Francisco to 2 straight titles is impressive.
One of the greatest civil rights activists in sports history. Rest in power, sir.
Loved his laugh. Wasn't a cackle like hubert davis' which is annoying but you would end up laughing with him. He was the kind of player who did not even have to score to be effective. Just rebound, pass the ball and block shots. The player that was ever close to his playing style was Bill Walton. OFC
Walton was also one of my favorites. I remember him going like 21 for 22 against Memphis in the finals. But I think he was more of a scorer than Mr. Russell. If I had to pick another great defensive center, I'd probably go with Bob Lanier, or maybe Zoubek!
OFC
You are right, great laugh.
Bill Walton had a more complete game but was derailed by debilitating injuries.
The player that reminds me most of his style of play was Dennis Rodman, a defensive stopper, great rebounder, marginal scorer...
He led the Celts to 2 championships as player-coach. His championships as a coach don't seem to get mentioned much...
Bill Walton had a more complete game but was derailed by debilitating injuries.
The player that reminds me most of his style of play was Dennis Rodman, a defensive stopper, great rebounder, marginal scorer...
He led the Celts to 2 championships as player-coach. His championships as a coach don't seem to get mentioned much...
You are right about Rodman as a player. Just hard to put him the same CLASS as Russell.
OFC
He led an incredibly impressive life and I'm pleased that he passed away peacefully.
I should probably not say it, but Russell was one of the worst TV analysts ever. He was always three plays behind and loved to cackle.
I should probably not say it, but Russell was one of the worst TV analysts ever. He was always three plays behind and loved to cackle.
I would have liked to have seen him play. Sounds like ultimate team player.
My favorite from those Celts teams was actually Sam Jones. I tried to imitate his bank shot. Seems to me, the amateur physics genius, that banking the ball is more effective, since the influence of the backboard would allow the ball to hit the rim with less speed, thereby decreasing the chance that it bounces away. Apparently, no actual player agrees with me, so what the hell do I know?
OFC
OFC
Physics agrees with you. Nobody teaches it properly. You still have to shoot the ball so it's descending when it hits the board. You also need to aim at a spot about six inches short of where most people aim
Sam Jones was my favorite as well. Ten NBA titles. The #8 overall pick out of NC Central. I've won so many bets because of him such as who is the player from Wilmington NC with the most titles. It's not Michael Jordan. Who is the player who played college ball in Durham who made the 50th and 75th anniversary teams, etc.
Actually, Cowens is my favorite Celtic followed by Sam Jones, Larry Bird, Cornbread Maxwell and Dennis Johnson
Actually, Cowens is my favorite Celtic followed by Sam Jones, Larry Bird, Cornbread Maxwell and Dennis Johnson
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I guess. They were both perfect as I recall. I think Cowens really was crazy. That's my tie breaker
christophero, bust my chops as much as you can! I can tell that you are very smart, nice and polite. Thanks for telling us that you ran track in college. My best friend in ninth grade was the best race walker in the country. I tried to look him up when you mentioned track. I don't think it's an event now. At age 14, he did 33 laps in 54:30. 8.2 miles at an event in Princeton
Bill Russell would have been a tremendous track and field athlete. Could have high jumped 7 feet in his sleep
Bill Russell would have been a tremendous track and field athlete. Could have high jumped 7 feet in his sleep
Thanks. I ran the 800/thousand meters at St. John's. We (my relay team) were pretty good my senior year. We had a rival coach in high school that refused to field a walker, as he did not consider it track. He would just give up the points at duel meets.
My friend was 6'2" in ninth grade with hips wider than a mom of six. Race walking was his only athletic ability.
Most beautiful woman I've ever known ran the 800 at UNC. She was my friend's girlfriend so I never asked her out. My goodness, I should have.
Most beautiful woman I've ever known ran the 800 at UNC. She was my friend's girlfriend so I never asked her out. My goodness, I should have.
We ran down at Wake Forrest one year and maybe NC State. William and Mary was a nice campus. We ran at Notre Dame in cross country. Beautiful campus. The Big East championships were held at Villanova. I ran at MSG and Yale a bunch of times. And the Penn Relays. I shook Bill Cosby's hand there. The Big East indoors were at the Carrier Dome.
We ran the Penn Relays in ninth grade at historic Franklin Field. Bill Cosby was there, but I didn't meet him. What a dump. We had lots of cross country meets at NC State. It was a long course and hilly. I threw up and my coach seemed pleased
Bill Russell won two high school state titles, two NCAA titles and 11 NBA titles. There has never been a bigger winner or more successful basketball player.
Kareem/Lew Alcindor is the only comparison and he is still a distant second
Kareem/Lew Alcindor is the only comparison and he is still a distant second
I never mastered the bank shot but I did excel at clanking shots.
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I'm assuming the bank shot became less popular when glass backboards became prevalent. The last I can think of is Bill Walton with the bank shot turnaround jumper, but I bet he grew up with wood backboards like I did. The wood had more "give" so it slowed down the shot and really took away the worry about the speed of the shot.
Walton was as good as Russ and Wilt for 5 years including college but couldn't sustain it like the others (including Kareem) did.
Walton was as good as Russ and Wilt for 5 years including college but couldn't sustain it like the others (including Kareem) did.
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