I once had the good fortune, I guess, of inhaling the smoke from Red Auerbach's cigar. I sat a few rows behind Auerbach in the old Boston Garden. I caught the Celtics--at least the ones I could see from obstructed view--a few times at the beloved, urine-stenched, rat-infested Garden, but my close encounter with the back of Auerbach's head, and the fumes from his stogie, occured at a Boston College Eagles game. My sense is that, even back then, the Garden had a no-smoking policy. But who was going to tell Red Auerbach to put out his cigar? It was his house, after all. Auerbach coached the Celtics to nine NBA championships from 1957 through 1966. No other coach in the history of professional sports boasts so successful a championship string. Sure, Auerbach had some on-court help: Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, John Havilicek, Sam Jones, etc. But, way back when, the coach also doubled as the general manager, so assembling that array of talent, in addition to directing it on the court, was Auerbach's doing as well. Although Auerbach's name is synonymous with coaching greatness, his talents as an NBA executive bore championships as well. Auerbach drafted Larry Bird as junior by capitalizing on an NBA rule that allowed undeclared (for the NBA draft) underclassmen to be drafted if they had entered college four years prior (Bird had played a day or so under Bob Knight at Indiana University, quit, and turned up the following year at Indiana State.). Auerbach also pulled off one of the most lopsided trades in the history of sports: Joe Barry Carroll for Robert Parrish and a draft pick used on Kevin McHale. Joe Barry Carroll for two first-ballot Hall of Famers! Auerbach hired the NBA's first black coach (Bill Russell), and floored an all-black line-up for the first (but not the last!) time in league history. Like so many great coaches, Auerbach spawned great coaches. Players that Auerbach coached or signed went on to win NBA Coach of the Year honors eight times. As a result of his playing days at George Washington University, Auerbach developed an affinity for the nation's capital and lived much of the year there. In DC, as in Boston, I heard nothing but good things about Red Auerbach from people who encountered him. Red Auerbach, 89 years on earth, rest in peace.
A great send-off for a great guy.
Red once backed his Caddy into a friend of mine's Volkswagen (Red was renowned for being a poor driver). Got out drunk and cursed her to beat the band. Sort of an: "do you know who I am". Great coach and probably the best basketball guy who ever lived. Nice guy? Don't think it was a mystery that he wasn't.
We love to exalt our Icons, don’t we?!
Nice guy or not? I really don't know but Red certainly left his mark in this world. I had many great moments watching Red's Celtics and for that he'll always have a warm place in my heart. RIP Red!
I agree AM. But why do we need to remember Red and others like him as a "great guys"? It might be enough that he was tough a-hole but that his talent for coaching and selecting talent transcended the fact that he may not have been a good Joe to animals and small children.
I for one certainly don't feel the need to remember someone as a great person just because they died, but it seems like a lot of people do. Maybe they don't want to feel like they are stomping on someone’s grave by saying something less than complimentary about them. History tends to reveal what celebrities were like in life (warts included) anyway.
It's really like anything related to those who are in the entertainment business: As long as the entertainment is successful in that it excites the masses, there should be no need for the masses to look for some kind of kinship there. I'm not trying to be unfair here because in this particular case, Red will be missed and it is sad to see him go. But, it's sad for his family and the game of basketball which to a large degree he represented. RIP Red.
